SB 2016: Hosting or Not? NOT!

[ULalum06]

I heard last year that upon completion of the new park, we would be provided an opportunity to host a regional.

Is this the case?

Am I aiming too high?

Would the purple and gold gods allow such an event?

[Rebel02]

Must have a team worthy of hosting a regional as well. I believe we will have a team that will be good enough to host a regional, but just because we have a new stadium does not guarantee that we will host.

[ULalum06]

UL softball makes regional every year, not to mention super's more often than other schools in this region?

[Cajun90]

UL softball makes regional every year, not to mention super's more often than other schools in this region?

The criteria for hosting:

1. Must make the tournament. Duh!!
2. Facilities must meet certain NCAA standards. Not a problem.
3. There must be a geographic need for host within the area.
4. The school must provide a minimum guaranteed bid.

Now for the finer points. The biggest thing is geographic need. That is rarely an issue in this area. For softball and all non-revenue sports the NCAA tries to limit travel to less than 500 miles. That way they can put everyone on a bus and not pay those air fares. The bigger issue is that there are usually a number of teams in a position to host within our 500 mile area.

National seeds are going to get preference (rewarded) over other tournament qualifiers. This is big. A number 6 national seed definitely has a huge advantage to host over a team with a #20 RPI ranking within the same geographic area.

Facilities are not an issue and to my knowledge were not in the recent past either. We did have concerns with lights at one point but I'm pretty sure that was corrected.

The bid isn't a big issue either and really is pretty low on the list in determining host sites.

Here is what it boils down too. If it goes like it has for years we will end up with UL and LSU looking to host. If we are ahead of LSU in the RPI rankings I think it is a done deal that we host.

IF we are close to them but not ahead I think we still have a great shot a hosting. Why? We have beat them two years in a row at their place (we earned it). We have new facilities to showcase. Scott Farmer is heading the NCAA softball committee.